Son Heung-min’s double sends Tottenham to top of group in Champions League
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) — South Korean star Son Heung-min has scored a brace for Tottenham Hotspur in their latest victory in the UEFA Champions League, pushing the Premier League club to the top of their group in the process.
Son scored in the 20th and then in the 36th minute of Tottenham’s 3-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the top European competition at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Wednesday (local time). Son was named the Player of the Match.
Spurs took the lead in Group D on seven points from two wins, one draw and one loss, one point ahead of Marseilles and Sporting CP. Frankfurt are in last place with four points.
Spurs are playing in their first Champions League since the 2019-2020 season, and these were Son’s first goals of this year’s tournament in four games.
Son, the reigning Golden Boot winner in the Premier League, has scored three goals in nine matches in the top English competition so far this season. They all came in one game, with a hat trick against Leicester City on Sept. 17.
Daichi Kamada opened the scoring for Frankfurt in the 14th minute, but Son got the equalizer from the edge of the box six minutes later by converting a pass from his trusted sidekick, Harry Kane. They have now combined for 50 goals in all competitions.
Kane scored a penalty to put Spurs ahead in the 28th, and Son rounded out the home side’s scoring with a brilliant volley in the 36th, set up by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Son was subbed out for Lucas Moura in the 86th minute, and Spurs hung on for the win after Frankfurt scored one minute after the Son substitution.
Also in the Champions League, South Korean defender Kim Min-jae helped Napoli to a 4-2 win over Ajax at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples, Italy, on Wednesday.
Napoli grabbed a ticket to the round of 16 thanks to their fourth consecutive win, while leading Group A with 12 points, three ahead of Liverpool.